Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to improve the (a) regulation and (b) monitoring of locksmiths to help prevent exploitative practices in that industry.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There is a robust framework of consumer protection law that all traders, including locksmiths, must comply with which requires that services are delivered to a high standard and consumers have means of redress when they are not.
Consumers are encouraged to use service providers that operate under a regulated trusted trader scheme, such as the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA), which has a robust licensing scheme in place to ensure approved locksmiths are appropriately vetted, inspected and qualified.
We are further strengthening the enforcement of this framework in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill. Therefore, the Government has no plans to further regulate the locksmith sector.
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to issue guidance to (a) owners, (b) operators and (c) occupiers of large buildings in Greater London on recent changes to the law affecting how they should connect to and use heat networks.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department has recently completed a consultation on consumer protection for heat network customers and intends to lay secondary legislation before Parliament in 2024. We will also publish a consultation on zoning regulations for heat networks shortly. The Department is engaging with heat network customers, owners, operators, and other key stakeholders to inform them of future changes to heat networks policy, and to ensure that regulations provide fair prices for consumers, mitigate risk for heat network developers and ensure heat networks form an effective part of the UK’s net-zero commitment.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of (a) the adequacy of the support provided to people making complaints against solicitors and (b) the potential merits of (i) increasing the support provided throughout the complaints process and (ii) simplifying the complaints process.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The legal profession in England and Wales together with its regulators, operates independently of the Government. The responsibility for regulating the sector sits with the approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB).
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is the approved regulator for solicitors. The SRA is responsible for handling complaints regarding solicitor conduct, complaints can be made via their website at https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/.
If a consumer is dissatisfied with the service provided by a solicitor, they can log a complaint with the Legal Ombudsman. This can be done via their website at https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint/.
The LSB recently led a consultation (24 August – 17 November 2023) on proposals to ensure that people who use legal services have access to fair and effective complaint procedures. The proposals aim to strengthen consumer protection and improve the overall quality and standards of legal services.
Their new proposal focuses on bettering the current complaints procedures. It sets clear outcomes for regulators to deliver, including collecting and analysing intelligence on complaints to support the best possible redress system, as well as fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement. By engaging regulators on key issues, the LSB aims to drive higher standards in the provision of legal services across the board. The LSB will consider the feedback they receive and in turn make appropriate changes to their draft policy. A response to their consultation will be issued in early 2024, alongside the final Requirements, Guidance and statement of policy.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Camrose on 3 April (HL6992), whether the incumbent operator in each area have informed consumers that before committing to a new two year full fibre service contract with them they can research other full fibre options available to them in their area.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has strengthened Ofcom’s consumer protection rules to ensure consumers have the right level of information to make informed decisions.
As part of this, in February 2020, Ofcom brought in rules requiring communication providers to send a notification to customers nearing the end of their contract, encouraging them to get a new contract. These rules also require providers to send an annual notification for their consumers who are-out-contract, setting out the provider’s best available deals to the consumer.
Within the end-of-contract notification, providers must inform customers of the precise date their contract expires; notice periods should they wish to leave; the best offer available for renewal as well as the price they will pay if they take no action. Providers are not required to advise consumers if competitor services are present in their local area.
Ofcom are responsible for monitoring provider compliance with end-of-contract notification regulations, and recently took action against a provider who failed to issue information to their customers. Using the information contained within their end-of-contract notification, customers can find out what providers operate in their area using Ofcom’s broadband checker. Customers are also able to use one of the Ofcom accredited price comparison sites to see what offers they can access and how they compare to the best deal offered by their current provider.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of further regulating the fines chargeable by parking companies operating on private land.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Following the introduction of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the Government is taking action to improve the regulation of the private parking industry and is developing a new code of practice to ensure the best possible protection for motorists and parking companies alike.
We are currently considering the impact of any changes to parking charges levels and debt recovery fees before a decision is made on the appropriate level.
In due course it is the Government’s intention to consult on these elements of the code, as such we have recently concluded a call for evidence to make sure the consultation on parking charges and debt recovery fees is as well informed as possible.
The Government is working with both industry and consumer representatives to ensure the code comes into effect as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Earl of Shrewsbury (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the pricing structure of petrol and diesel fuel sold in motorway service stations; and what if any action they intend to take to ensure a fair pricing structure, which is competitive with off-motorway suppliers, is enforced.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) found drivers without fuel cards pay more at motorway service stations due to limited competitive pressures. Differences in costs, including rent, staff wages and fuel volume sold also cause price variations.
This autumn, we will consult on CMA recommendations for a road fuel price open data scheme and elements of a monitoring function. The government has tabled amendments to the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Bill to give the CMA information gathering powers for the monitoring function. Upon Royal Assent of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, smart data powers will be used to enact regulations for the open data scheme.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to increase sanctions on companies that approve credit applications for people subject to Court of Protection Orders.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Protecting vulnerable consumers is a key priority for the Government and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates the consumer credit market.
Financial institutions are entitled to provide credit to individuals who have a Court of Protection Order. Approval of these applications are individualised in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act and FCA guidance which can found at: https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/CONC/2/10.html.
The guidance makes clear that firms should take reasonable steps to ensure that they have suitable business practices and procedures in place for the fair treatment of customers who they understand, or reasonably suspect, have or may have a mental capacity limitation. This includes customers who are subject to Court of Protection Orders.
The FCA proactively monitors the market to ensure firms follow its rules and it has various methods to punish breaches. There is no limit on the fines it can levy and it can require firms to compensate consumers. In addition, consumers have recourse to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independent arbitration if they believe their formal complaint to a firm has not been dealt with satisfactorily.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an energy social tariff to assist disabled people with energy costs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As the Government explores possible approaches to consumer protection from 2024, it is working with disability organisations, considering the costs for disabled people and assessing the need for specific support for disabled people using medical equipment in the home.
While energy prices are falling our Energy Price Guarantee remains in place to protect people until April next year. The Help for Households campaign includes numerous cost-of-living support schemes in 2023/2024, such as the Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount, Disability Cost of Living Payment and the Cost-of-Living Payment for those on means tested benefits which has increased from up to £650 in 2022/2023 to £900 in 2023/2024.
The Government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to the most vulnerable households.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take steps with Cabinet colleagues to provide support to smallholder farmers in developing countries to meet the legal requirement to not contribute to deforestation under the Environment Act 2021.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK plays a leading role in supporting global efforts to protect and restore forest landscapes, driving international action to tackle deforestation and ensure forests are sustainably managed. This effort is underpinned by a commitment of £1.5 billion to international forests between 2021 and 2026.
The Government works with both businesses and smallholder farmers to improve sustainable practices and encourage forest-friendly business. The Investments in Forests and Sustainable Land Use programme (2015-2024) supports the development of new business models which provide jobs and livelihoods while protecting and restoring forests. The programme is implemented through a set of complementary interventions including Partnerships for Forests (P4F) (£120 million), which provides grant funding and technical assistance to catalyse investment into sustainable agriculture and forest management. To date, P4F has mobilised £1.25 billion in private investment into forests, brought 4.5 million hectares of land under sustainable management and directly benefitted over 250,000 people.
The UK’s Mobilising Finance for Forests programme is working to increase private investment in activities that create value from standing forests and/or incorporate forest protection and restoration into sustainable agricultural commodity production. This programme is complementary to P4F, targeting larger and more mature opportunities that will mobilise investment into sustainable land-use at scale.
The UK also supports companies in their transition to sustainable supply chains. The UK is a co-funder of the Tropical Forest Alliance, a public-private initiative hosted by the World Economic Forum which mobilises over 170 companies, governments and NGOs to tackle commodity-driven deforestation.
We also continue to work with consumer and producer country partners in forums such as the Forest, Agriculture, and Commodity and Trade (FACT) Dialogue, which the UK and Indonesia launched together as co-chairs in 2021. The FACT Dialogue convenes 28 major producers and consumers of internationally traded agricultural commodities to agree principles for collaboration and developed a Roadmap of actions which was launched at COP26, to protect forests and other ecosystems while promoting sustainable trade and development, in a way that respects all countries’ interests.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the total amount banks have repaid customers that have been victims of (a) fraud and (b) payment scams.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government takes fraud and scams very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this devastating crime. Tackling fraud and scams requires a unified and co-ordinated response from government, law enforcement and the private sector to better protect the public and businesses, reduce the impact on victims, and increase the disruption and prosecution of fraudsters.
According to data published by the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) on 31 October, the fourteen largest payment service providers reimbursed a total of £237,219,623 of losses from authorised push payment (APP) fraud. Reimbursement rates varied significantly by firm. As part of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Government legislated to enable the PSR to mandate payment service providers to reimburse victims of APP scams. This will ensure that victims of APP scams are reimbursed on a more consistent basis and ensure greater consumer protection. The Government also intends to introduce legislation to allow payment service providers to slow down payments processing when there is a reasonable suspicion of fraud. The Government will introduce this legislation in due course.
Beyond this, the Government has taken significant action to address this issue. In May 2022, the Government published its fraud strategy, setting out a number of new measures. For example, the Government announced it will extend the ban on cold calling to cover all consumer financial services and products, and recently consulted on the design and scope of this ban. The Government has also taken action to address fraudulent activity being hosted online through the Online Safety Act 2023, which includes a new standalone duty requiring large internet firms to remove fraudulent content on their platforms.